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Kyla Beveridge out in front at the NZ Speed Skating squad training camp at the Caroline Bay rink on Saturday.
Timaru’s “ideal” speed skating facilities attracted skaters from around New Zealand over the weekend in preparation for the World and Oceania Champ games.
The town hosted more than 40 skaters from Whangārei to Berwick, near Dunedin, with skaters coming to Timaru for its facilities, speed skater veteran Bill Begg said.
”Timaru has some of the best facilities, with the banked track on the Bay for some sprinting events, Levels Raceway for the road race, and the ability to use an indoor facility.’’
The weekend’s training squad helped train skaters for the Southern Endurance Series, and the World and Oceania games.
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Timaru man Bill Begg held the NZ Speed Skating squad training camp at the Caroline Bay rink on Saturday.
The New Zealand team training camp in Timaru on Saturday, comprised of Oceania team members and “future potential internationals”, a number of weary skaters faced the starter on Sunday for 100 metre and 500m sprint events prior to the main event, Begg said.
Begg is heading to Argentina in a few months time to take some first time skaters and their parents.
“We would have had about four South Canterbury skaters going this year, but due to Covid, university, the army, and one due to a broken bone, so no-one could do it,” Begg said.
“That is just life, but these people had spent almost a decade preparing for the World and Oceania games, but they have not gone ahead for the past two years due to Covid.”
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Daryl Mattingley, right, placing second after giving it his all to get in front of the pack on Sunday’s speed skating training at Levels Raceway.
There are four promising young skaters coming through the Timaru speed skating scene, and he hoped to take them to world champs in four years’ time, he said.
Begg said he still intends to head to Argentina for the World Skate Games to support some skaters and their parents heading to the games for the first time.
These games will be Begg’s 43rd time attending the World Champ Games in Argentina.
“I started out in 1976 racing for New Zealand in Argentina, this will be my 43rd world champs being either a skater, coach, or manager,” Begg said.
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